On Irony – Excerpts from letters between priest Xavier and the Merxau branch
...This year again the city has been called a Bastion of faith, a haven away from heresy. For that I applaud your efforts and sacrifices.
May you hold Secrets, and guard the Family...
Early spring / Mercy 783 ADM – Eternal Empire – Modona’s upper district – Merentah Library
Mer’Nelgot leisurely followed the link through the library, taking a few detours to admire his surroundings. He’d seen the library plenty of time already, though it looked smaller from his perspective – it was always different to see through a child’s perspective.
In his eyes, the tower was neither particularly grand nor beautiful. The Atonoth academies had grander libraries in spades, what it lacked was humanity. This place was full of it. To Mer’, the tower told a story. It was a sign of how much his child had grown, a sign of the efforts made by his grandchildren, and assurance that his great-grandchildren would never have to suffer.
It brought him joy like few things did.
And Mer’ liked joy, after all it was one of the emotions he’d elected to keep feeling. Like all others, it might cloud his judgment, but he would never remove it. Over seventy years ago, together with his beloved Xau’, they had made vows, rules to follow in pursuit of betterment, and among them was to never lose their humanity. A rule he now enforced upon his students.
He eventually reached the stairs, taking each step slowly, an habit from an older body. He took note of how weathered they were. A hobby he’d taken over two decades ago, when he’d reached a century old. He liked to see how things grew, or decayed, with time. Unlike his flesh.
As he neared the study’s door, he chuckled at the child’s choice. His great-grandson certainly had a sense for the dramatic, choosing this place for their meeting, fitting, as it was the same as a year ago.
***
Inside the study – a few moments later
Someone was trying to shake Ulysse awake, and seemingly succeeding as the boy let out a sleepy groan.
“Ul’ysse?” An accented voice murmured.
He mumbled back a vague answer, “Five more...”
His eyes still closed, he felt himself falling back into slumber as he ignored the voice’s calls. Slowly slipping back into his dreams, Ulysse’s mind had begun rebuilding his dream where he’d left it.
Geared in shining armor, he was facing an imposing enemy – no, his enemy wasn’t important. He had a scroll dozen of meters long hanging in front of him. He began reading it, each word so profound, yet easy to will into being, he was about to finish when, without warning, the dream fractured and faded to black.
At first, he saw himself, a child, standing in the dark. Suddenly he was alone no more. An old man stood before him – long white hair tied in a ponytail and purple eyes staring at him.
Without moving his lips, the man spoke, the words echoing through his skull, “WAKE UP.”
Ulysse gasped as his eyes opened, staring straight into a pair of purple eyes, identical to theses in his dream. This time, they belonged to a much younger man, one he recognized quite well.
“One should sleep at night child, not in daylight.” the Librarian counseled him.
“Sir Librarian!” Ulysse was wide awake now, “Sorry, I was just so excited! I couldn’t fall asleep that night, I spent half of it re-checking my notes on Chosen-tongue. Also I...”
“Child, calm down.” He cut off, “There is no need for you to fret over such a thing as your mastery of words. I am quite proud of how many you’ve managed to wield by yourself, be assured that there will be no more tests for you have more than succeeded already.”
Ulysse broke into a smile, almost blushing at the praise. From the Librarian no less.
“There is however a fault in your knowledge I wish to rectify, that of my person.”
Ulysse frowned at that, the Librarian had only ever introduced himself as Merle. Nothing more. Through guesswork, it was obvious the Librarian was some sort cousin from the Merxau side. Likely an important one since he’d seen him in a meeting with the family heads. Was there really a need for the man to reveal it?
“As you might have guessed, my imperial name is not the one I always bear, the one I was given is Mer’Nelgot”
Ulysse frowned, recognizing the second half of the name.
Mer’ anticipated his question, “Yes, same as the runes for ‘magic’.”
“So, you are not a Merxau?”
“I am only half of it, but my name is not the only one to elude you. Your grandfather is named Sil’Merxau, your father Mog’Silkri, and you are, Ul’Mogod.”
Ulysse waited for the Libr– Mer’Nelgot to continue, but the man looked at him as if expecting something. But what?
Apart from <
Then it clicked, it was not about knowing the words, but about how they meshed together. His middle name was Mogod while his parent’s name began with the same syllables, Mogens and Odette. Same for his father, Mog’Silkri which came from Kristina, and Silvestre – or Sil’Merxau apparently.
Following that logic, was grandma’s name Kri’Olian? Same as the other family branch.
His eyes widened as he thought back of his grandfather’s name, Merxau, just like Mer’s.
“You were named after my... great-Grandfather?” Ulysse had to ask, but he had a suspicion there was more to it. After all, his grandfather was in suspiciously great shape for his age, having celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday a few months ago. Plus, he’d read about Necromundian mages being immortal.
“We do not name our own after theses still living. Last time I checked, I still drew breath.” The man – his great-grandfather, apparently – smiled, “It may be surprising, but after one hundred and twenty-seven years, I still stand, and mostly sane at that.” he chuckled, as if the state of sanity amused him.
Ulysse just stared at him dumbfounded, he’d been expecting something a bit less crazy.
“Hello, child, the cat-like got your tongue?”
“I...I...” closed his mouth and breathed deep, “How? You look so young, barely forty.”
“I have been allowed to grow old thanks to a gift given long ago, as for my appearance, the man you dreamt of bears my true skin, if such a thing exists.”
“This is crazy. And why couldn’t you just say it earlier?”
“For safety, child, my very presence here is a risk, and knowledge of my person is much worse, should I use magic here, the inquisition would come running. My secrecy might seem heartless, but I assure you it is born of love. In fact, I brushed with danger by coming to see both you, your sister, and cousins during all these years. I just couldn’t bear to be fully separated from my great-grandchildren. Even if you never knew who I really was, you have brought me joy.”
“And, if I understand correctly, we’ll soon be seeing more of each other?” Ulysse said hesitantly.
“Mayhap,” He smiled, “If that is what you wish for. You are still young enough to forget if that is wh...”
“NO!”
Mer’ took on an harsher expression, “You shall be separated from your sister, marked as a monster by the empire, and potentially suffer disastrous manifestations.”
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“Yes, what if I get crippled like Vic’, I can’t channel anyway. Fuck the Remnants and their inquisitors. As for Al’... we won’t be away forever, right?”
“No, you won’t, but you won’t see much of her either. I think it is a thing sad for me to relocate you so young, but you have grown too fast. A part of me had hoped you would settle for an easy life of leisure.”
Ulysse shook his head.
“Your great-grandmother would have been proud of you child, such a greed for magic.” He sighed, “Since your choice is made, let me tell you about the vows I Require of any who seek to learn the Merentahs’ magic.
Never forsake your humanity. We do not deal in wild magic, nor do we force manifestations upon others.
Never betray your family. Under my lordship, all are family, and we stand together.
Never let our secrets unravel. We, as mages in the empire need to protect our secrecy at all costs.” Mer’ enunciated each vow without a hint of hesitation, having clearly done so many times before.
“You do not have to swear them now, we have a ceremony for such things, but until then, do think about them.”
“They don’t seem like bad vows,” Ulysse mused, “Say, Great-grandpa?” He tried the words hesitantly, “I know it’s like a BIG secret, but, if mages aren’t welcome in the empire, why did we leave... you know where?”
“I suppose I may answer this one. The lordship to whom we belonged long ago had cruel and unnecessary usages, to stay would have broken my first and second vow... I lost much by fleeing, but seeing such good in my descendants, I believe it was worth it.”
They both stayed silent for a while, as Ulysse took his time to process their discussion so far.
“Sooo, I’ll be learning magic soon, right? Actually learning with the Merxau, not just from a book?”
“I thought you liked books, but yes, since you do not wish to forget, I must take you before Mercy ends. Your recent use of Will and Rituals has awoken the dormant magic within you. The estate isn’t safe anymore.”
“I can still say goodbye to Al’, right?”
“Of course, just tell her you are going to learn enchanting and alchemy, she is still a bit young for the truth. And like Ag’rios, she might become too entangled with the imperials to learn it fully.”
“And what about my parents?”
“They know about magic already, I will tell you father about our arrangements, but your mother shouldn’t be told about me. I think we both get why.” He chuckled.
Ulysse nodded, it was already surprising his mother hadn’t told the church about them. The news of a century old mage from the Kingdoms of Necromundis could very well be the spark that would lit the inquisition’s stake on Fire.
“We shall meet again in four days, at Mercy’s last sunrise.”
***
The following morning – Ulysse and Alice’s room
Training clothes, dirty from a final nightly spar, sat thrown around the room. The equal amount of dirt on each, a proof that their little fight had been close. Ulysse had gotten better with his Body focusing ritual, but Alice had still won five to three, it was still impossible for him to contend with the versatility of channeling, even with almost equal strength, and speed.
After all, Alice too had made progress, and he was pretty sure she was still holding back.
Last night the two of them had talked a lot, keeping company and sharing anecdotes about their day. Ulysse’s inevitable departure hadn’t been a surprise for either, nor were they particularly happy to be separated.
Which was why Ulysse also had his twin give him – something – to eventually solve that issue.
And maybe, just maybe, he had spilled the beans about magic, unable to leave without telling her the truth.
Now, he was paying the price for their late-night talk. He blinked his half-asleep eyes at the door, from whence came the muffled voices responsible for waking him up.
He got up, decided to open the door and give them a piece of his mind about speaking so loudly in the hallways.
As he neared the door, it shook as if someone had bumped into it. The voices got loud enough to hear correctly, Odette and Mogens, fighting about... him?
Odette growled frustration, the sound was followed by something snapping and the dull thump of something heavy falling to the ground.
The door was pushed open violently – without knocking – and hit the wall with force. His mother stood right there, skin glowing a furious red. Behind her, Mogens lay on the ground, unmoving, a pool of blood forming underneath his head.
She walked inside and locked the door, hiding the horrid sight.
Ulysse froze in terror, his heart beating erratically. Odette became a blur of movement, a red light streaking forward as her hands clamped on his shoulder with an iron grip. The pain made him yelp a shrill cry, and he could see Alice beginning to wake up on the corner of his vision.
Right in front of him was his mother’s face. Odette had been ugly-crying, she had reddened eyes and blurry make-up still being travelled by drops of sadness. In complete contrast, her nose and brows were scrunched together in fury, filling her face with lines of worry.
“Mom, you’re hurting me!” He yelled.
“Ulysse, what have you done!” Her grip tightened, grinding the bones underneath, “You must stop, you must go back.”
Ulysse started to fight back, shaking, and reaching with his hands to tear her off him.
“Don’t you see what they are doing to you? You are my sun, I CAN’T LET YOU TAINT YOUR SOUL, you must keep your light.”
Ulysse shivered in her grip as Odette began muttering religious nonsense.
“Al’, help me!” He called to his twin, who was looking at them with wide eyes.
She jumped from her bed, and tried talking to their mother, “Mom, let him go, he...”
“It’s not about you!”
One of Odette’s hands left Ulysse for a second, still channeling, she delivered a vicious backhand that sent Alice flying, cracking her ribs, before clamping back down on his shoulder.
He looked at his sister, slumped on the ground but instinctively glowing the white of Life, she would be fine.
“You can still stop this Ulysse, you don’t have to follow them. Once in the Orders you’ll be safe, when your sister is too, we’ll be able to leave all this behind.” She rambled on.
“Mom, I don’t want to stop, I want to be a mage, the gods have always hated me, AND SO DO I.”
With each word, her expression broke apart, and after his last statement her tears redoubled, flowing freely. More worryingly, her hands slid from shoulders to wrap around his neck, but not crushing it – yet.
“Ho Eternals... Was my Mind wrong to give such Mercy?” She started praying, her voice firm and loud even through tears.
“No!” Ulysse screamed, before his airways cut off and he was lifted from the ground.
He had never stopped fighting back, and now with adrenaline pouring through his blood, he redoubled his efforts, kicking, pulling, scratching – to no avail.
“Was Life given by heretics meant to be buried in Ice?”
Alice got up, holding her side and using the wall as a crutch. The white light of spring around her intensified as she channeled both Life and Mercy with all her strength. When the aura of Mercy touched him, he felt stronger, able to take one breath before Odette redoubled her efforts.
“Upon the fruit of my Body, you seek Vengeance.”
Still glowing white, Alice slammed into their mother, with her small size and Odette channeling Body, she was easily rebuffed.
“May you forgive me for letting IT draw breath. May you purify my sins in Fire in exchange for its Death.”
Ulysse went limp as Odette tightened her grip once more, she only needed one more word to end her prayer – always – and then she would end him. He saw her eyes, so afraid of her own actions, yet too faithful to stop. Her moment of hesitation saved his life.
Alice was now glowing with summer’s red. Flames covered her form while her Body moved with inhuman force. Her small fist impacted Odette’s knee in an explosion of Fire, snaping it and blowing the three of them in opposite directions.
Ulysse’s fall was somewhat cushioned by the thick carpet. The two fighters weren't so lucky – Alice had slammed into a wall and was coughing blood, whatever had happened with her ribs had gotten worse – Odette was standing back up, straightening her leg with a scream. She locked her broken knee by channeling Ice into a makeshift splint before it covered the rest of her, subtle white light shining through indicated she was healing.
He sent a look at the door, too far away to reach safely. The handle turned as someone tried to open it, locked, it didn’t budge further.
“Stand down!” Odette yelled, “He is too far gone, we can’t save him. Have you heard his words?”
Odette started half-running, half-limping towards him, her steps loud and heavy with Ice. Alice too dashed forward, ignoring her broken rib. She delivered a flurry of fiery blows. Odette deflected the wide swings with her longer reach while she let the lighter jabs hit her armor of Ice.
“Away girl, you are blessed above all, don’t you see what your brother has become?”
Alice ducked below a fist of Ice.
“Mom, you’re crazy, stop! Look at yourself.”
The young girl slammed her shoulder on her mother’s belly, unable to dodge with her stiff leg she was sent flying right next to the door as Alice leveraged the Channeling given strength to ignore the sheer size and weight difference.
Unfortunately, covered in ice, Odette wasn’t hurt by the move, nor by the Alice’s Fire.
More worryingly, Odette stopped channeling Ice and Life, turning purple, likely Body and Mind, her previously broken knee appeared stiff, but usable. She also pulled a dagger from underneath her robes.
“You force my hand young lady, Mercy cannot be shown repeatedly to theses who side with heretics."
In response, Alice took a step backward while also channeling a purple light, Ice and Body.
But Ulysse hadn’t been idle, his personal drawers had been emptied, and he’d taken his most potent vial of ink, the one made by Victoria for his first ritual.
There was no time to think of something fancy, he couldn’t skim his book for better words. His notes, bearing the runes he’d used back then would have to suffice.
Rushing, he threw away the carpet to reveal the clean-ish slab underneath. Without quill or brush, he poured the ink and smudged it with his fingers to draw the words, speaking them as he wrote.
<
Improvising, he figured he might as well invert the spell. Scales could help him against a dagger. Mana surged from the big – yet poorly drawn rune.
<<...Ul-Me’...>>
He had to be the focus of this spell, his will guided the mana, made from his own blood, it latched easily.
<<...Sa-Xa-Men’>>
Unlike last time, he didn’t want to purify his scales, but for them to burn what wasn’t the spell’s focus – him.
The mana coalesced, it wildly tried to fight against him, but his will crushed any such tries. His skin began to itch, it changed into – no, he willed to scales to appear from magic, not from his skin. They did.
Breathing heavily, he stood up away from his sloppy writing. His upper body was heavier, covered in red hot scales that felt as cold as winter’s breeze to him.
A few meters away, Alice had her back turned on him, she had to stand her ground against Odette who was both armed, and had a longer reach. It was a testament to her talent that she had only suffered a couple of deep cuts.
Feeling the magic quickly leaving the conjured scales, Ulysse rushed to join the fight, pathetically slow compared to the two channelers. Not that he needed to be fast.
He was a distraction.
Odette disengaged from Alice and slammed her dagger into his chest, too fast for him to even try dodging. The tip lodged itself into the scales, metal and magically conjured scales clashed, and the former lost. The dagger snapped in half, with the tip having barely pierced his skin.
With his breath stolen by the impact, Ulysse barely managed to grab onto his mother’s arm. Burning scales seared the flesh underneath as he hanged to it with all his might.
Alice, taking advantage of the situation, drew all of her Ice into her hand, shaping a vaguely mace shaped stick. Then with Body she jumped to deliver a blow straight to her mother’s temple. Weighted down by Ulysse’s scale covered body, Odette was unable to dodge. The Ice weapon shattered on her skull but did its job, knocking her out cold.